by
Andrew Jukes
THE OFFERINGS AS A WHOLE continued:
Alas! Full well do many of the professing Christians of our day
shew that they are but half taught the very doctrine in which
they make their boast; that they have but half-learned the lesson
which even the cross teaches. They have learned that Christ was
crucified FOR them, but they have NOT learned that they are to be
'crucified WITH Him' ... that truth which the Cross of Christ was
designed to teach, he never distinctly understood; or rather
experienced, namely, that salvation is NOT in the flesh, but in
the Spirit; not from death, but out of it; not the reinstating of
the old nature, but the conferring of a new, by the dying again
with Christ (Burgh's Tracts, "On Preaching Christ." Christ in His
death, pp.5,6).
5. It only remains for us to look at THE TRESPASS-OFFERING, in
its bearing on the walk of saints. This was that offering in
which restitution was made for wrong; the original claim with the
added "fifth" was paid by the trespasser. We have seen how this
was fulfilled for us in Christ, how at His hands God recovered
all whereof man had robbed Him. We have seen the consequence of
this to those in Christ, how they are complete in Him through
whom we have received the atonement.
Our present inquiry is, how this offering should affect our walk;
how far our union with Christ will make this view of His
sacrifice an example to us?
And FIRST we have restitution here. Christ standing for man makes
full restitution for man's wrong and trespass; "not with
corruptible things, as silver and gold" (1 Peter 1:18,19) but by
the value of His own Offering He repays our trespass. In this
sense we can make no restitution. If Christ has not made it, we
are lost. The rest of our lives, if wholly spent for God, could
never atone for our acts of trespass. Each day would bring its
own proper claim. Works of supererogation, therefore, we could
have none. Yet there is a measure and a sense in which the saint
in fellowship with Christ will make restitution. Not indeed as to
win acceptance, but as shewing how, according to his measure,
through the Spirit, he sympathizes with Christ. As he has in days
past, as the servant of sin, robbed man and God of their rights,
so now, as having been made free from sin, he becomes the servant
of righteousness. "Now, being made free from sin, and become
servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end
everlasting life" (Rom.6:22).
But there was a FIFTH part added. God or man, if wronged by
trespass, not only received back their original claim. In
consequence of trespass, more than that claim was due to them,
the payment of which with a life, constituted the
Trespass-offering.
Under the law, God and man had each their
claim on man: the measure of that claim, by God's own
appointment, was righteousness: if man dealt justly toward God
and man, nothing further than the right, nothing like grace,
could by law be claimed of him. But it was different after he had
trespassed. Then, by God's own appointment, right was no longer
the measure of his debt to others. If we were sinless, we should
without doubt be safe, yea, we might bring the law to justify us,
in dealing mere rights to every one. But if the Old and New
Testaments mean anything by what they teach on this point, the
trespasser is the wrong man to contend for rights. The fact of
our being trespassers gives God a claim upon us, not merely the
original claim, not the bare claim of right. Above and beside
this, the trespasser is a debtor to yield that which, but for his
being a trespasser, could never have been claimed from him.
I know we call this, dealing in grace, to yield to sinners more
than their just claim on us. In a sense it is grace: it would be
so fully, if we ourselves were sinless before God. But because we
are convicted trespassers, and trespassers who make our boast in
grace, we are called, as the very witness of that grace and of
our need of it, to deal in what we call grace to others. "Ye have
heard that it bath been said, An eye for an eye: but I say unto
you, resist not evil. Do good to them that hate you; pray for
them that despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Mat.5:38-44).
"And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against
any; that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you
your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your
heavenly father forgive you your trespasses" (Mark 11:25,26)
"For if ye love. them that love You, what thank have ye? For
sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them
that do good to you, what thank have ye? For sinners also do even
the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what
thank have ye? For sinners also lead to sinners, to receive as
much a gain. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping
for nothing again; and ye shall be the children of the Highest;
for He is kind to the unthankful and to the evil" (Luke 6:32-35).
This is very plain. But how far is it acted upon by many who
profess to be one with Christ? Provided we have been just, who
asks, have I been gracious, in my dealings to my fellow-men?
Who scruples to go to law, (1 Cor.6:7) who fears to claim his
rights, little thinking of the added "fifth" of the
Trespass-offering? And who, were his rights withheld by law,
would hesitate to strive against the law by political agitation
or otherwise; forgetting, that grace, not right, must be the law,
as it is the hope, of the trespasser?
But I forbear upon this head. He that cannot hear Christ, will
scarcely hear His feeble servant.
"If they believe not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be
persuaded thou one rose from the dead."
Such Is "THE Law of THE OFFERINGS." It gives but one view of
Christ: yet how much is involved in it, both as to our WALK and
STANDING. Do we not, need this truth? Surely if ever there was a
time when the truths connected with Christ's sacrifice were
needed, that time is the present.
As in the days of Christ, so now God's truth is used as the prop
of error. Just as then the Law, which was given to PROVE man's
SINFULNESS; was used by Pharisees to exalt MAN'S righteousness:
so now the Gospel, which was given to lead us to another world,
is being used to make this world a more sure abiding place.
I speak what is notorious: it is the boast of our age, that
Christianity is doing what it never did before. It is giving
temperance to the world and peace to the nations, it is
vindicating the liberty of the slave; in a word, it is making for
man a better home, a safer resting-place, on this side of the
grave. And all the while the world is still the world, and the
slave still, as before, the slave of lust.
Time was when Christians gave up the world. They now can mend it:
they need not leave it.
Oh, cunning device of the Evil One, too easily followed by a
deluded age! God's truth now, instead of laying man in his grave,
with the certain hope of a resurrection morning, is used on all
hands, misused I should say, to perfect man in the flesh, almost
to deify him; - used to prop "the things which must be shaken,"
instead of leading us to those "which cannot be moved," - used to
give an inheritance on this side of death, instead of in the
glory which shall be revealed.
Oh, how does THE OFFERING judge all this! It speaks of SACRIFICE,
even to the cross. It tells us that, as one with Christ, our
portion in Him must yet be His portion. What had He here? He
suffered under Pontius Pilate; He was crucified, dead, and
buried; He rose again the third Day; He ascended up into heaven;
He sitteth at the right hand of God; He shall come again to judge
the quick and deal.
What had He here? Nothing! He took not as His home a world
unpurged by fire, a creation still under the curse. He passed
through it as a rejected pilgrim. We, too, if we would be like
Him, must do so still ....
He will not let US have THIS world till He HAS IT (when He comes
to rule and bring all nations under His Government, administrated
by His LAW and His GRACE - Keith Hunt).
His day is at hand: for that day He waits (Heb.10:13). Let us be
content, "yet a little while," to wait with Him.
And while many are anticipating His kingdom, in a kingdom without
His presence, and without His saints, let us look for the
resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
..................
So ENDS Andrew Jukes' study on the FIVE "great offerings" of the
Levitical Priesthood under the Old Covenant. And what a study it
has been, what wonderful truths in typology he has brought forth
for our edification, even for our understanding of the SALVATION
of God. And what true and correct comments he has made as to the
state of the large popular so-called "Christianity" of this world
as it is professed by MOST who call themselves "followers of
Jesus" and "sons and daughters of God."
The power of THE wicked one - Satan the Devil - has BLINDED the
minds and deceived the whole world (Rev.12:9), yes, including the
majority of those who call themselves after the name of Christ.
The Devil has used a mighty WOMAN (church), clothed in scarlet,
riding a mighty Beast (secular political government) and drunken
with the blood of the saints (Rev.17) to deceive even the
Christian world. She has a name on her forehead, a name written
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND
ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Yes, this woamn church had many daughters born from out of her,
which she will in the end-times try to collect back into her
fold.
You need to come to know the DEPTHS of Satan, for he is indeed
cunning and crafty, and often (probably most of the time) comes
to you as an angel of LIGHT (2 Cor.11: 13-15). But his light is
really darkness, turning the GRACE of God into a licence to SIN
and continue in the world, with the world, instead of coming out
of the world (read again the Gospel and letters of John and the
book of Jude).
There are MANY studies on this Website that will expound in
detail God's true ways, and narrow and straight road that leads
to salvation, as well as revealing to you the deceptive depths of
Satan.
If you hunger and thirst after righteousness, if you are willing
to HUMBLE yourself in REPENTANCE, if you have a LOVE for the
TRUTH, if you delight in the WORD of God, if you are willing to
do as Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
EVERY WORD of God" (Mat.4:4), then ..... YOU can be one that God
will CALL. He will remove the blindness from your eyes, and will
bring you into the "very little flock" - the "salt of the earth"
as Jesus said His followers would be.
And what you shall receive on the RESURRECTION day when Jesus
will RETURN to gather His flock from all ages, will be beyond
your wildest dreams. You will reign with Him on this earth
for ONE THOUSAND years, bringing salvation to millions. You will
be there to serve and guide and help the BILLIONS who shall be
raised in the GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT period, to have
BLINDNESS removed from their eyes, and the books of the Bible
opened, as well as the book of LIFE offered to them.
The heavenly Father has a wonderful plan for the saving of
billions of people. He is patient, He is loving, He desires ALL
to come to repentance and to be saved through His SACRIFICE
OFFERING - HIS SON - JESUS CHRIST. May you find that door to the
sheepfold (God's family) through Jesus as YOUR personal Savior.
Keith Hunt
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